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1/48 - Grumman F-14A/B & D Tomcat by AvantGarde Model Kits (AMK) - F-14D released


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3 hours ago, Nocoolname said:

TBH I think @guillaume320 put it best about our being spoiled with all of these kits. We've literally never had it so good. In fact its so good the only thing I could complain about is 'over-choice' which would be an utterly daft complaint. 1986 was when I first really took to the Tomcat due to a certain film and the choices I had available to me then were the 1/72 Airfix kit (too basic and toy like for me even back then), the 1/48 Monogram kit (lots of fun) or the 'Mahoosive' 1/32 Tamiya kit that was way out of my price range (until it was a Christmas gift the following year). At that point I never saw the Revell 1/32 kit and hadn't even heard of Fujimi. 

 

Now alongside the above we have the Hasegawa (still great even if a bit long in the tooth), the Academy (not as good as the Hasegawa but more fun - like a scribed version of the Monogram kit), the HobbyBoss (tons of detail and options including, arguably, some detail that shouldn't be there), the Tamiya (a work of 3D art to my eyes that makes up with ease and precision of build what it lacks in the options compartment) and now the AMK and GWH kits are on the horizon, both of whom have an excellent pedigree for providing kits riddled with options and detail. And unlike 1986 I can afford them all. I'm going to get the lot and then play around with all of the parts and see what kind of a fully-armed and operational Franken-cat I can come up with! 

 

It's alive!... ALIVE!!! :evil_laugh:

 

 

 

That's the spirit 👍 ! We're going to have 1/48 Tomcats for all different tastes in modelling, each of us will find the one that best fit their needs... and the fanatics like me will buy them all 😁

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There is a 'real' reason, for me at least, for what I would call 'flexible options' rather than 'poseability', and that is down to how portable I need my kits to be. Having moved home five times in as many years out of necessity I have discovered that there is no method of transportation or packaging (and I have invested heavily in this area) that does not result in the loss of a speed break, undercarriage, ordinance or worse, so my choice is to have kits built that are stripped down and 'buttoned up' or built in such a way that they can be stripped down and buttoned up for transport only and then displayed as intended on arrival. This led first to my use of micro magnets for pylons and ordinance and then the same for undercarriage, speed-breaks and other options. For me it certainly improved the situation, at least until the loss of some of those removable parts, whereupon I developed approaches to allow parts to be hinged where feasible so that they could remain on the kit. However, these hinges and similar are not simplified versions that would be anachronistic to the 'model' but scale replicas, with care taken and expense given in their creation including CAD and Illustrator Vector designs to produce 3D parts and custom PE respectively (see my Eagle and USS Cygnus kits for details and my upcoming work to produce a scale hinge for the FG.1 Radome). This approach fits 'my' preferences for how I like 'my builds' in order of priority - not broken following a move (which had done more to put me off from building kits than anything else), followed by the ability to pose the kit as I had originally intended, followed finally (and really as a byproduct) with the possibility of changing the pose throughout the life of the kit. Though in the case of the latter applied to my F.2 Prototype, the 'pose' has remained unchanged. 

 

And can we please dial back the derogatory references towards people's preferences, (I assume the term 'Sheila' used above was intended to refer to 'people')? For me, kits are built, toys are bought and having known people of all ages that collect both I respect each for their particular interest. I build kits in a way that suit my preferences but will not make commentary against others because they choose differently as if this is some kind of 'doctrine'!

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9 hours ago, Masinissa said:

Please read the posts in this discussion and you'll see plenty of talk about the non poseable wings. 

I have read it the above, hence my original comment..

 

Plenty of talk? A bit perhaps and no whinging as per the ARC commenter.

 

It's more people commenting that they'll have to decide how to display it the model and choose the appropriate parts, I don't see that as a whinge. Also I see some discussion on what some people may try to do with the other set of wings..

 

 

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I completely agree with you about choices of the Tomcat's kits. the new GWH model will coming, I do not understand why GWH spends so much energy on another Tomcat, there are so many others aircraft models omitted by the other manufacturers, this is a couple examples; SU-57, Ka-50/52, SU-25 family, NH90, EC665 Tiger, I have a doubt that helicopters are an interesting subject for this manufacturer.

 

Anyway, I use to build their excellent SU-35 and still waiting for the AMK's Tomcat coming.

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16 hours ago, salomon said:

I completely agree with you about choices of the Tomcat's kits. the new GWH model will coming, I do not understand why GWH spends so much energy on another Tomcat, there are so many others aircraft models omitted by the other manufacturers, this is a couple examples; SU-57, Ka-50/52, SU-25 family, NH90, EC665 Tiger, I have a doubt that helicopters are an interesting subject for this manufacturer.

 

Anyway, I use to build their excellent SU-35 and still waiting for the AMK's Tomcat coming.

 

GWH look at the matter with the eye of the manufacturer and they will work on kits that they expect to sell in certain quantities. Really a Tomcat fits pretty well in GWH catalogue, when it comes to modern types they have done nothing particularly unusual, only subjects that are very well known and guaranteed to sell: MiG-29, Su-35 and F-15. Adding a Tomcat looks like a natural thing

 

Back to the AMK kit, those shots look very interesting, I see both ramps, wonder if there will be optional positions. The box to which the wings attach is also very interesting, looks almost like a real Tomcat

Edited by Giorgio N
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2 minutes ago, Nocoolname said:

Great stuff. But the pictures I ‘really’ want to see are of the kit on a shop shelf or an online store with a price and an ‘order now’ button. 🙂

Absolutely agree! Wouldn't it be great if it was released in time for Scale Model World Telford!

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This is looking fantastic. It is a great time for Tomcat aficionados, a great time. And Airfix is coming out with a spitfire XIV.

It is like all these manufacturers all looked into my head to see what I want and went "yeah, that, let's do that"

Truly a great time to be a model builder, the greatest :)

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8 hours ago, Homebee said:

Stunning! I really appreciate the level of detail and the engineering expertise that went into this kit. Can't wait for my preorder to arrive. 

 

The more I see from the AMK kit the more I think it will co-exist pretty well with Tamiya. Both companies have found a very unique approach to the F14. Both should find very happy customer. 

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2 hours ago, hoppie said:

This is looking fantastic. It is a great time for Tomcat aficionados, a great time. And Airfix is coming out with a spitfire XIV.

It is like all these manufacturers all looked into my head to see what I want and went "yeah, that, let's do that"

Truly a great time to be a model builder, the greatest :)

Oh God I’m glad they didn’t look into my head 😜

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26 minutes ago, Ka-Efka said:

Stunning! I really appreciate the level of detail and the engineering expertise that went into this kit. Can't wait for my preorder to arrive. 

 

The more I see from the AMK kit the more I think it will co-exist pretty well with Tamiya. Both companies have found a very unique approach to the F14. Both should find very happy customer. 

My thoughts exactly. In fact I have builds in mind for the Tamiya, the AMK and the GWH

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Just as an aside for all of us Tomcat lovers, I've spotted a YouTube trailer for this upcoming  game based on the F-14 ......see link below. The graphics on the trailer are just out of this world and might provide another reference source for modelling our bird (A/B version), assuming they're accurate of course!

 

 

Edited by t15dja
typo
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45 minutes ago, RNoAF Aerobatic Team said:

Hi guys. 

 

Any of you know where I can pre-order this one? As I live in Norway there are close to 0/zero shops where I live and around the country. 

 

Cheers 

Ørjan 

Hannants are taking pre orders.  https://www.hannants.co.uk/product/AMK88007

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On 10/10/2018 at 1:31 AM, RNoAF Aerobatic Team said:

Hi guys. 

 

Any of you know where I can pre-order this one? As I live in Norway there are close to 0/zero shops where I live and around the country. 

 

Cheers 

Ørjan 

Hobby Easy. 

 

https://www.hobbyeasy.com/en/data/tare0bal4idjzfrztyrj.html 

 

 

 

I notice that they say that these current orders will also get the weapons set! This was supposedly only for the "original" pre-orders of the kit.

Edited by hairystick
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44 minutes ago, hairystick said:

Hobby Easy. 

 

https://www.hobbyeasy.com/en/data/tare0bal4idjzfrztyrj.html 

 

 

 

I notice that they say that these current orders will also get the weapons set! This was supposedly only for the "original" pre-orders of the kit.

According to Hobby Easy the release date is 

 

Maker:AMK

Scale: 1/48

Material:injection

Release Date: 2018-11-15  :hourglass::party::eat:

 

:cake:

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30 minutes ago, keithjs said:

And at HKD 428 makes it £42........

...don't forget delivery charges, import duties / VAT and UK Post Office handling charge....

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